Hot Work Permit Generator
Fill out the permit below; the document builds itself as you type and prints clean — no site chrome, no ads. The precautions checklist follows 29 CFR 1910.252(a) (general industry), 29 CFR 1926.352 (construction) and NFPA 51B. Review it with your permit authorizing individual before use. Nothing you type is sent to our servers.
Nothing you type is sent to our servers. A draft is kept in this browser until you clear it.
Template for informational purposes only. This document must be reviewed and adapted by a competent or qualified person for your specific jobsite, equipment, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements. It does not constitute legal, engineering, or safety advice and does not by itself establish compliance with OSHA or any other standard. SteelToeTools assumes no liability for its use. Nothing you type is sent to our servers.
How to use this permit
- 1Inspect the area first. The permit authorizing individual (PAI) walks the job, looks 35 ft around and on the other side of walls and floors, and decides the precautions (1910.252(a)(2)(iv)).
- 2Fill out the three steps. Job details, the precautions actually verified, then the fire watch and the names. The document on the right updates as you type.
- 3Print or save the PDF, then sign. PAI, operator and fire watch sign before work starts; the last line is signed when the fire watch period is over and the area has been re-checked.
- 4Keep it. File the completed permit with your written hot work program for the period your program (and your insurer) requires.
What OSHA and NFPA 51B require
| Requirement | Source |
|---|---|
| Area inspected and precautions designated by the person authorizing the work, preferably as a written permit | 29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iv) |
| Combustibles relocated at least 35 ft (10.7 m) where practicable; floors swept clean within 35 ft | 1910.252(a)(2)(v), (vii); NFPA 51B |
| Fire extinguishing equipment maintained ready for instant use, immediately available in the work area | 1910.252(a)(2)(ii); 1926.352(d) |
| Fire watch required where more than a minor fire might develop; maintained at least a half hour after completion | 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(A)–(B); 1926.352(e) |
| Fire watch of at least 60 minutes after completion, longer if the PAI requires it | NFPA 51B (2019 edition) |
| Fire watch is a separate person from the operator, trained, equipped, no other duties | OSHA Fact Sheet 4188 (shipyard standard 1915.504, widely adopted good practice) |
| No hot work in unauthorized areas, while sprinklers are impaired, in explosive atmospheres, or near large quantities of ignitable material | 1910.252(a)(2)(vi) |
| Containers that held flammables cleaned or filled with water, and vented, before heating | 1910.252(a)(3); 1926.352(i)–(j) |
| Same precautions on the opposite side of walls, ceilings and partitions; heat, sparks and slag confined | 1926.352(b), (f) |
OSHA references NFPA 51B in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q. Many states and cities adopt NFPA 1 (Fire Code), which requires compliance with NFPA 51B — check your local fire code and, in State Plan states, your state OSHA rules.
Frequently asked questions
Before cutting or welding is permitted, OSHA requires the area to be inspected by the person responsible for authorizing hot work, who designates the precautions to follow, preferably as a written permit (29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iv)). Most employers require one for any welding, cutting, grinding or torch work outside a designated hot work area.
Where practicable, combustibles must be relocated at least 35 feet (10.7 m) from the work, and floors with combustible material swept clean for a 35-foot radius (29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(v) and (vii)). NFPA 51B uses the same 35 ft radius. Whatever cannot be moved must be shielded with fire-resistant covers or guards.
OSHA requires the fire watch to continue for at least a half hour after welding or cutting is completed (29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B)). NFPA 51B (2019 edition) requires a minimum of 60 minutes, and the permit authorizing individual may require longer. This permit lets you record which duration applies to your site.
Not the person doing the hot work. OSHA's fire watch fact sheet (4188) explains that the worker performing hot work cannot react fast enough to a fire, so another employee must be assigned, with no other duties, extinguishing equipment ready for instant use, and a way to raise the alarm.
In areas not authorized by management, in sprinklered buildings while the sprinklers are impaired, in explosive atmospheres, and near large quantities of exposed, readily ignitable materials (29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(vi)). Containers that held flammables must be cleaned or water-filled and vented first (1910.252(a)(3); 1926.352(i)–(j)).
No template does by itself. The permit documents the inspection and precautions that 1910.252(a)(2)(iv) calls for; your permit authorizing individual still has to inspect the area and adapt the precautions to the job. Keep completed permits with your written hot work program.
No. The permit is built in your browser and the PDF is generated on your device; nothing is transmitted or stored by us. A draft stays in your browser until you clear it.
Sources & references
- 29 CFR 1910.252(a) — Welding, cutting and brazing: fire prevention and protection (general industry)
- 29 CFR 1926.352 — Fire prevention (construction welding and cutting)
- NFPA 51B — Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work (free access to the current edition on nfpa.org)
- NFPA — Hot Work Safety fact sheet (2021): 35 ft clearance, 60-minute fire watch, permit authorizing individual
- OSHA Fact Sheet 4188 — Fire Watch Duties during Hot Work
- OSHA — Welding, Cutting, and Brazing: standards page
Content checked against these sources — last reviewed August 27, 2026.